Worth
by Ellivia22
Summary: After the Gemini Project, Zack thought he knew everything about his twin. But when a memory comes back to haunt Cody, Zack realizes that maybe his brother's life hasn't always been so perfect. Zack/Cody NOT twincest. R&R


(A/N: Hello all! When you're in a class that talks about the same subject practically nonstop, you can't help but write about it :) So here it is: my 50th story on this site. I really hope you like it. Take care and please review! Love, Ellivia22~)

(A/N: BJG, my answer to your question is in my profile :))

Disclaimer: Writing Suite Life stories, especially brother bonding is my favorite thing to do, but yet I do not own anything. Just the plot.

****Worth****

****By: Ellivia22****

****Cody****

__Thank God this day is over__ I think to myself as I step out of the shower. __I thought work would never end__

I've been waiting for this day to come to an end since it started. That means only 24 hours left. 24 hours until my romantic date with Bailey After practically sailing around the world, the S.S. Tipton will dock in Paris again tomorrow. Instead of ignoring the situation, Bailey and I decided to have a makeup date. I'm going to do everything right this time. No practice date for me. Before I know it, I'll be picking her up at her cabin. We're going to have a magical night. So before I go to bed tonight, I'm going to go over my plan. Right now I'm just going to do some homework, then read my new book on Isaac Newton.

__Drat! Forgot my shirt__. I button my pants and leave the bathroom, my towel draped over my shoulders. I glance through my closet, then grab my favorite blue shirt that's hanging. I normally don't like to dress anywhere but in my bathroom, but right now I'm too lazy for once to go back in. Just as I pull the shirt over my head I hear the door of my cabin open. Probably Woody.

"Hey Cody, can I borrow your-."

Once I have the shirt on, I turn around to face my visitor, It isn't Woody who came in, but Zack. Something is different about him. His face is unnaturally pale, blue eyes wide. His mouth is slightly open. I give him a strange look. "What's wrong with you?"

Zack struggles to speak. "W-what's that on your back?"

My heart thuds in my chest. That explains why Zack looks so upset. I avoid his intense gaze. "N-nothing."

My brother moves forward as if he was in a trance. "You know damn well that's not nothing! Let me see!"

I back away, starting to really panic. "NO!"

Unfortunately I don't move fast enough. Zack pushes me hard, my face smashing into the wall. I cry out in pain, but Zack ignores me. His hand is on my shoulder to make sure I don't move. Then he lifts up my shirt.

I squeeze my eyes shut tight as I hear an audible gasp. I feel him trace the two long scars that are across the middle of my back; the scars that make an X. Though the marks haven't hurt for a few years, his touch is like aloe to a really bad sunburn. "Oh my God! What? When?" Zack struggles to make a proper sentence. "H-how did this happen, Cody?"

My body shakes as the sobs escape my throat. My chest is so tight that breathing is becoming almost impossible. I grip against the wall firmly as the memory comes back to haunt me.

__I was walking down the street, looking over my shoulder every few seconds. My body was ____trembling so hard I was surprised that I could walk straight. This was the worst part of the day. Not the fact that school was over on a Friday afternoon, but that I was on my way home. Words rang horribly in my head, making me quicken my pace.__

You can't hide forever. One way or another, I'm going to get you!

__The past couple of months had been absolute hell for me. In fact ever since Zack and I started high school at Cheevers High, I wanted to be anywhere but there. I never thought I'd feel that way, but it was true. My status in school had gone from "nerd" and "geek" to "Loser" and "worthless". It was started by Drew and his crew and had continued ever since.__

__First it was just small things: insults, shoved into lockers, isolation. But over time it got worse. Drew and his crew would steal things from me and threaten to kill me if I refused. I knew they could do it, so I never fought back. It wouldn't have made a difference anyway. Not to mention what they were saying were all true. I hated myself more than they hated me, but still I wish I had someone by my side. But I had no one. Zack had classes on the other side of the school and had lots of friends to hang out with. Something I lacked. We hardly ever saw each other, not like that mattered. He knew what was going on but didn't care. He never cared. No one did.__

__My phone vibrated in my pocket. I knew who it was from. I didn't even give my number to Drew and his friends. He found out all on his own and was using it to his advantage to torment me. I knew I shouldn't read the message, but my hand moved without my permission. My heart thudded harder in my chest as I read my message.__

I'm going to kill you! I'm going to free the world of your pathetic existence! You better watch your back. Don't think I won't do it!

__I choked on a sob and put my phone in my pocket. I had only two more blocks to go and I would be safe at the Tipton. __Please let me get home safely__I prayed silently.__

__Suddenly an arm wrapped around my waist, preventing me from going anywhere. Before I could make a sound, a hand clamped over my mouth tightly. I squirmed, but whoever grabbed me was too strong. I was dragged and thrown into the alley that I just passed.__

__Pain shot through my body, my world spinning for a split second. When I stumbled to my feet, I was surrounded by Drew and his crew. My body trembled harder than I thought was possible. Shakily I reached in my pocket and pulled out the last remainder of my money. "H-here," I stuttered, handing it to Drew.__

__I was about to walk away, when Drew grabbed me by the back of my shirt and pulled me back. "Hold on one second. You were trying to avoid us all day. I can't let something that big slide. Can I boys?" His crew nodded in agreement. I backed away slowly, into one of the group members. Drew smirked at me evilly. "I've been nice for too long. It's time to fuck you up!"__

__Suddenly I was pushed roughly to the ground. Pain shot through me as my body made contact with the pavement. I curled into a fetal position as punches and kicks were thrown in my direction. The pain was immeasurable.__

__"P-please stop!" I begged, my mouth full of blood.__

__The boys laughed and started to hit me harder. "Shut up and take it like a man!"__

__Tears rolled down my face as I realized that I was going to die. There is no way a person could suffer though this much pain and survive it. I wished with all my being that they would just get it over with. I didn't want to live anyway. The world started to spin from either blood loss or a forming concussion. I felt as though every bone in my body was broken. While they beat on me I could hear words such as "loser" and "worthless." __Zack, I wish you were here__I thought silently, the tears coming even harder down my face.__

__After a few minutes, but what seemed like hours, the beating stopped. I lay on the ground gasping for breath. Breathing was becoming almost impossible at this point. I was sure that all my ribs were broken. I prayed with all my being that they were done with me.__

__"Let's make sure he knows that he's not welcome here!" Drew says with a laugh.__

__My ripped shirt was torn off my battered body. I closed my eyes tighter, not wanting to know what they were going to do to me. "AAAH!" I screamed as I felt a blade slash against my back, followed by another. The pain was beyond anything I've ever felt before. I felt as though my back had been split in two. If I was to survive this, I knew I would never forget the last words I heard before I passed out.__

__"I hope you drown in your own blood."__

My body continues to tremble as the memory comes to an end. I know I should calm down before I hyperventilate, but I can't. The pain is powerful. I lean against the wall. It's the only way my body can stay upright. Zack pulls my shoulder so that I'm looking at him. His face is paler, if that's possible. His blue eyes are full of emotion.

"Cody?"

The last remaining of my strength runs out. I collapse fully into my brother's arms and sob harder than I've ever done so before.

****Zack****

I grit my teeth in fury as images continue to replay in my mind. Images of my brother being badly beaten and marked up. Since Cody and I are still connected, thanks to the Gemini project, I know that I'm actually seeing what happened. I can feel his agonizing pain from the memory. A tear slides down my face as an image of my beaten brother crawling home flashes in my mind. And now I can see how the memory is still tormenting him. I take deep, even breaths in order to restrain myself from somehow finding my way back to Boston and killing Drew and his followers. The fury is directly mostly to myself for not knowing that this was happening to my brother.

I remember that day in great detail now. It was the last day of school before summer break. I had come home from hanging out with my friends just when dinner was almost ready. Cody wouldn't come out from our room. As a matter of fact, he wouldn't even leave his bed. Now I know why. He didn't want Mom or I to know what had happened to him. When I saw the bruises on his face the next day, he told me he ran into a door. I didn't believe him. Cody hadn't been the same since.

With a shaky hand, I let go of his shirt, hiding the scars from view. I know I'll never forget what I had just seen. I gently pull Cody's shoulder so that he's looking at me. "C-Cody?" I barely manage to choke out.

Something inside my brother breaks. With an anguished cry, Cody collapses fully into my arms and starts sobbing hysterically. I grab a hold of my twin and gently lead him to his made bed. After instructing him softly to sit down, I sit down too, my arms wrapping tightly around him. His body is trembling so hard I can barely hold onto him. When I finally find my voice, I ask the question that's plaguing me the most.

"Why didn't you tell me what was going on?"

"I-I thought you knew."

I stare at him incredulously. Did he seriously think that I would have let that happen if I knew? I grasp his wet chin so he has no choice but to look at me. "Believe me, Cody. If I knew, I would've killed them!"

His blue eyes widen in surprise. "R-Really?"

I give him a stern look. "Of course. You're my little brother. Nobody is allowed to hurt you."

A long silence passes between us. Cody continues to lean against me. His body isn't shaking anymore, but I know he's still hurting. My mind races. There's got to be something I can do to take away his pain. If only I knew what to do.

__They were right. I am worthless__

My feelings of wanting to comfort my brother quickly returns to anger and revenge. I can't believe that thought just crossed his mind. Now I really understand what Cody's attack has done to his self esteem. This makes my urge to kill Drew even stronger. I hug my twin tighter in hopes to take away his pain. I struggle to find the right words. I've got to bring him back to the Cody I know and love. "You are a lot of things, Cody, but worthless is NOT one of them!"

"What am I then?" his quiet voice answers back.

"You are so very smart and incredibly gifted. And caring. Unlike me, you have a purpose in life. You have all the qualities that make you a good person. People love you for who you are: Mom, Dad, Bailey. Hell, even Mr. Moseby loves you in his own way."

Cody lifts his head from off my shoulder so he can look at me. He had stopped crying, but the pain was still evident in his blue eyes. The look in his eyes makes me realize that he won't believe me until I say what I'm struggling to say. I swallow hard. "And I love you. More than anything. I hope you know that."

A real smile spreads across his face. "I love you too."

After sharing a long hug, I let go of my brother and pull him to his feet. It's time for my quickest and most effective solution to a rough day. "Let's go get some ice cream."

"Okay."

Before we leave Cody's cabin, I grab his small shoulders and force him to look at me once more. "Will you promise me something Cody?"

"Anything."

I bet he knows what I'm going to say, but I'm going to say it anyway. His recovering emotions are telling me that everything has been going okay since we've come on the S.S. Tipton, but I have to be sure. "Promise you'll tell me next time if someone is hurting you."

"I promise."

I squeeze his shoulder gently then lead my brother out of his cabin. A big bowl of ice cream is waiting for us. And after the day we've had today, it is definitely needed.

****The End****

****Thanks for reading. Please review :)****


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